The Flame Burned Too Bright
by WazupRose
Summary: Three Wakandans discuss duty, identity, and responsibility during Eric's funeral. Set between Eric's death and T'Challa's conversation with Nakia about giving foreign aid. Features T'Challa, Shuri, and Okoye.


**The Fire Burned Too Bright**

 **By WazupRose**

 **A/N- Hello all! So Black Panther was one of Marvels better films, and it addressed a number of deep and complex topics that I'd like to talk about here. Also, Eric Killmonger is one of the more complex villains in Marvel. I didn't like him as a person (since he was kinda vengeful and murderous), but he had much more important motivations than most Marvel villains. Hope you enjoy!**

 **Disclaimer- Everything here belongs to Marvel and Disney. I own none of it.**

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The last rays of the setting sun sparkled against Nigeria's deep blue waves. A few clouds were scattered across the darkening sky, but the brightest of the night's stars were visible through the gaps. The silence of dusk was broken only by the dull crash of waves against the nearby cliffs. For miles and miles the beach stretched out unbroken. Waves surged forward, then receded, leaving the sand it touched dark and sodden.

A whisper of feet against dry sand broke the silence. Three figures strode forward toward some of the lower cliffs, all dressed in soft white clothing of a simple design. All three were solemn-faced and silent as they walked along the grassy cliffside. It was the youngest who spoke first.

"Is this where we will have Eric's funeral Brother?" she murmured to the group's sole man.

"Yes," he replied equally quietly as he gazed ahead.

"Why here though?" The young girl asked, "why not in Wakanda like the rest of our people?"

"He asked to be buried in the ocean. It was his last request. I will honor it." The man replied. Far below the group, several dark figures were preparing a boat laden in flowers. In the boat a single body lay still. The corpse had grown stiff and cold days ago, but the funeral had to be put off until Wakanda had been determined secure.

As they reached the point on the cliff's edge where far below the boat was being brushed by the waves, the groups of three stopped. For a while they watched the workers continue to prepare the boat, but eventually the youngest grew tired of the quiet and spoke again.

"I am surprised he will get such a funeral, when he did his best to kill all of us just days ago." She remarked with a glance at her elder brother.

The man heaved a sigh before replying in a low voice. "He was still our cousin, and a lot of harm was done to him to make him this way. He may not have been a good man, but he was still our cousin and deserves a proper burial. I will not deny his spirit rest Shuri."

The girl, Shuri, frowned lightly before giving a shrug. "I suppose so Brother. But I still cannot help feeling some resentment toward him for what he tried to do to Wakanda. He was wrong to do what he did."

"Perhaps" the man replied, though his tone was contemplative rather than condemning.

"Perhaps!" Shuri scoffed indignantly, "T'Challa, he attempted to commit mass murder on a global scale using our Vibranium, you can't possibly-"

"- I am not claiming what he did was right. I only say that perhaps he wasn't all wrong."

"He destroyed my laboratory" Shuri muttered petulantly, kicking softly at the grass beneath her feet.

"I believe that is entirely a personal anger of yours," T'Challa replied with a small smile, "I am speaking of his broader message. Yes, mass killing as Eric wished is wrong, but so is turning out back on the world. It was decisions like that which created Killmonger in the first place."

The third figure, an intimidating looking-woman who up to now had been silent, turned to face T'Challa. "And you plan to change this my King?"

"I must, for the sake of Wakanda and people like us everywhere."

"People like us," the women replied, "like who? Those with our skin color? Who speak our language? Who come from our country? Humans in general? How do you divide who gets help? Your responsibility is to Wakanda and its people, not those who live on another part of the world."

"But I cannot ignore the suffering of so many," T'Challa said, "Okoye, we were wrong to hide from the world and ignore all the pain around us. We could help others, all others, who are trapped by poverty or disease-"

"-At what cost" Okoye argued, "Wakanda being known to all means that the others will want what we have. Even those people you want to help would jump at the chance to seize our resources and wealth. Our secrecy is what kept us protected, and you would throw it away to help outsiders? You cannot save the whole world."

"I believe I have a duty to help all those I can help. The world is getting smaller and we must change to accommodate it." T'Challa insisted.

"You put the whole of the country at risk," Okoye murmured angerly, "but I cannot stop you if this is what you wish to do."

"I like the idea." Shuri announced. "There are so many great scientists in the world that I can't talk to because of our secrecy. Tony Stark, Bruce Banner, Helen Cho- all of them would be fascinating to debate with. Imagine what they could do with vibranium. They couldn't top me of course, but at least we would be able to discuss ideas."

"And dangerous." Okoye said, "Or did you forget about the monster all three of these people helped make? That monster was made of vibranium. Our vibranium, that was stolen by an outsider. It is dangerous to open ourselves like this."

"Quiet." T'Challa gestured to the craft underneath the cliffs, "They are ready to set off the boat."

With a mighty heave the workers sent the boat into the ocean. Slowly the shifting waves pulled the flower-filled craft out to sea. When it was far enough, an archer on the beach pulled an arrow from her pack. She dipped the cloth covered tip into a bottle of flammable liquid until the cloth was soaked. She set the arrow ablaze and released it into the sky. The flaming arrow soared into the night, a bright pinprick against a backdrop of deep purple. The arrow fell true to its target and hit the boat that was barely visible in the full moon's light. The boat was quickly engulfed in flames, until the fire covered so much of it that it looked like it was the water on fire itself.

The three Wakandan's watched as Eric Killmonger, both briefly a King and a traitor to the country, was consumed by the fire.

"I can't help but see this as a metaphor." Shuri ventured. "He was consumed by such fire in life. Normally a fiery passion to do what you believe is right is a good thing, but it burned too much in him. He let it consume him until he couldn't see through the flames."

"Its an accurate metaphor." Okoye replied, "Sometimes passion can be too strong. Especially passion fueled by anger and hate."

"Anger leads to hate, hate leads to suffering."

"Why are you talking in that strange voice," Okoye gave Shuri a disconcerted look.

"Oh come on!" Shuri cried, "Star Wars? Yoda? Seriously, you don't recognize the quote!"

Okoye's blank expression gave a clear enough answer. Shuri scoffed in disbelief, but quickly quieted. She glanced back to the shifting flame still visible in the ocean.

"T'Challa, was Eric a bad guy? Was he evil?"

T'Challa gave his sister a long glance before returning his gaze to the sea. He was silent for a while as he considered the question. Finally, he turned back to Shuri.

"That is… a difficult question. How do we really decide what evil is? He wanted to help people, but he was willing to hurt many others to do so. He wished to show loyalty toward protecting those who shared his skin color but was violent toward members of the country his ancestors come from. He had a very difficult childhood and suffered many traumas, but that does not excuse his harmful actions. I don't think I would consider him evil. Perhaps not even a "bad guy" as you put it Shuri, but I didn't really know him well. I would not consider him a good person either."

"What is he then?"

"A damaged man. One who faced many adversities and let them shape him too much. Some people use adversity to grow kinder. He used his struggles to turn him hard and cruel. Some of his goals may have been good, but his other goals were not. The methods he used to try to achieve his vision were absolutely wrong."

"Like his goal of creating a Wakandan empire?" Shuri questioned. "Other countries have created massive empires though."

"But were they right to do so?" Okoye asked with a raised eyebrow, "A Wakandan conquest and empire is just as wrong as a British or Mongol one. You cannot use others' actions as a justification for your own. You are responsible for maintaining your own moral integrity, not them. This is where Eric went wrong. He used his own experiences as a justification for the suffering of others. How can we all be equal if one country or race is hurting another?"

"You say all this, but you still don't approve of my plan to use our resources to help others," T'Challa replied in a tone that hinted at frustration.

"That is different." Okoye maintained, "You are a King, and as a King your first responsibility is the safety, happiness, and prosperity of the people you pledged yourself to. Wakanda must come first, and letting the world know about who we are puts Wakanda in danger. We invite the world in and they bring their problems with them!"

"I am not proposing we invite the whole world into Wakanda" T'Challa refuted, "But we cannot continue to keep up the façade we have now. It is not right, and it is better to peacefully integrate ourselves with the rest of the world now that have the truth exposed later. At least this way we control what they know and how they find out."

"I can agree with that point." Okoye sighed. "I still believe this is dangerous, but I will follow your commands my King. I only hope you know what you are doing."

"Me too Okoye, me too" T'Challa murmured.

"If you will not let in outsiders or weaponize others, what will you do to help Brother?" Shuri inquired.

"Hmm… I am not sure yet. I must do something that helps people without putting Wakanda in danger. Okoye is right about revealing ourselves, we will be making many enemies." T'Challa narrowed his eyes. "Perhaps donations of some sort…"

"Um, no" Shuri scoffed. "Money is good but you don't know exactly where it is going. You can't control how it is used, and anyone can throw money at a program of some sort. You need something more personal."

"Program." T'Challa whispered contemplatively "That could work."

"What was that Brother?"

"Ah, nothing Shuri, I just think I have an idea for what to do. I need to make some arrangements. If all goes well I will even take you to California."

"ekkk!" Shuri squeaked excitedly "really?"

"Yes" T'Challa replied with some amusement "I will need your help." He eyes glazed over slightly, as if seeing something that wasn't there. "I will need many people's help."

"Oooo, you're bringing Nakia into this aren't you?" Shuri grinned with a predatorial glee at the chance to embarrass her brother. "I wonder how she will react to this."

"None of your business." T'Challa replied, but his stern words were weakened by the slight blush in his cheeks. "Nakia is a wonderful and competent person, I would certainly benefit from any help she would give with my project."

"Uh huh." Shuri drawled. With a mischievous glance at her brother she faked nonchalance "She would make a wonderful sister-in-law."

T'Challa's blush darkened and he glanced away, his gaze falling back toward the sea. The flaming boat was dying out and was barely visible against the dark sea. All three Wakandans stared at the near invisible boat for several heavy and silent minutes. Eventually, the ship burned itself out and the light vanished from the world.

"It is such a shame," Shuri remarked softly, "He was our cousin. We should have grown up together. He should have been cheering you on as you became King, not trying to stab you. Why did it have to be this way?"

"I cannot speak for the decisions of our father." T'Challa remarked solemnly, "Not can I justify Eric's actions. The only people who could do so are both dead. All we can do is learn from their mistakes and try to do better ourselves in the future."

The three Wakandans stared at the dark ocean for several long moments. Finally T'Challa broke the silence. He swung an arm around his sister's shoulders and squeezed comfortingly.

"Let us go home. We have many important things to do."

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 **A/N- There you go! The program, of course, referred to the new outreach center T'Challa is set up in Oakland. So do you think Eric was a bad guy? Somewhere in between? Or just damaged like T'Challa claims? Who does T'Challa have a bigger responsibility too- his country or others suffering around the world? Should Shuri share her knowledge of vibranium technology to the other genii of Marvel? Any feedback would be nice.**


End file.
